Your postpartum bod will undergo some pretty major changes. We’ve given you the down-low on what your vagina goes through, but what about your boobs? Settle in - we’re going to show-and-tell (hello, actual nip pics!) so that you’re totally prepared for what’s to come.
About-to-Pop Boobs
The first thing some of you may notice about your breasts is their ever-increasing size. As your breasts swell, your veins become more noticeable under your skin as they dilate to accommodate the blood flow. So if your boobs start to look a bit like a road map? Totally normal.
Leaky, Crusty Nipples
Starting in your second or third trimester, your nipples may begin to leak a white or yellowish liquid substance, or you may notice your nipples are crusty. That’s the start of colostrum - the milk you will produce first.
Dinner Plate Nipples
You can expect your areola to get bigger and darker due to the increase of estrogen raging through your changing, postpartum bod. This is supposed to help your newborn be able to find the nipple to latch. Your areolas may shrink again post-birth, or not. Now you know.
Not-Your-Grandma’s Boobs
You were rockin’ some big ol’ boobs during pregnancy, and that drastic and rapid change in size will cause the tissue and skin to stretch. You may also develop stretch marks on one or both of your boobs. Pro tip: massaging, exfoliating, and hydrating your boobs can help minimize their appearance.
After-the-Party’s-Over Boobs
The vast majority of women have asymmetrical boobs, but postpartum, they can be more pronounced. The changes are all totally normal, as is the fact that your breasts may never look the same again. Just roll with it and embrace your boobs’ new, beautiful normal.
Photography by: Reka Nyari, Annemarie Lea + Josephine Neubert
